


Headphones

by RensSaxophone



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27344413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RensSaxophone/pseuds/RensSaxophone
Summary: Ranmaru makes a special song for each of his boyfriends.
Relationships: Hijirikawa Masato/Ichinose Tokiya/Kurosaki Ranmaru
Kudos: 5





	Headphones

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is loosely based off of the song Headphones by Britt Nicole

“You’ll be okay. Just hang in there.” Ranmaru murmurs, pressing a kiss to Masato’s forehead. Masato can’t manage anything beyond a frown.

Masato’s father had called him to come home for a short amount of time, but the stress of the upcoming visit was starting to show more and more on Masato’s face, especially now, as he’s about to get in the car his father sent for him. It’s been outside for nearly five minutes and Masato was really pushing how long he could wait. 

“I know it’s difficult.” Tokiya’s voice is soft. “But in as little as a week you’ll be back with us.”

Masato’s main hesitance towards leaving was being surrounded by his family. He had been slow in opening up to both of his partners, but he had, in the end. But being himself wasn’t an option, when surrounding himself with family. He’d have to suck it up, put on a mask, and carry himself in a way that his father would approve of. It was something he’d do, but it was something that he hated doing. 

“A week is a very long time.” Masato says weakly. Despite his negativity, he does still lift his bag. Ranmaru squeezes Masato’s shoulder, but his free hand slips something into Masato’s pocket. 

Rather than an explanation, all Ranmaru says is, “Stay safe.”

“We’ll see you soon.” Tokiya assures. 

Masato just sighs, but he nods his head and heads out the door. 

Masato’s act starts the moment that he enters the car and continues all the way until he’s entering his childhood room at nearly nine at night. He’s already thoroughly exhausted when he finally has a chance to check what Ranmaru had shoved into his pocket, and he’s a bit surprised to find a small music player. 

Masato digs through his bag to find a pair of earbuds. He had been uncertain about bringing them, but considering his father’s distaste for music, they were the safest option for moments like these- where he was in a terrible mood and music was his only real chance for relief from the feelings. There’s only a single song on the music player, though Masato does recognize the small player as something that Ranmaru has had for quite some time. 

The track is simply titled “Track 1” but as soon as it starts, Masato can already tell that it’s live music. He recognizes the bass immediately. 

There are no lyrics to the song, but he thinks that he can hear humming, perhaps to help Ranmaru keep the tune of his playing. It’s a nearly six minute long track, but it gives Masato a nice feeling of peace settling heavily in his stomach. 

That night, Masato falls asleep, fully clothed, on top of his covers with his earbuds in. 

That’s how the next few nights go, too. It may have only been a week, but it felt like much, much longer. And Masato wasn’t willing to contact Ranmaru or Tokiya for more than a few texts a day- worried about having a phone call and being discovered. His father was already reacting stiffly to him for his choice to follow a music career. Masato wasn’t going to just spring his homosexuality on his father right now, too. 

Masato shudders to think about _ever_ coming out to his father. It had taken him forever just to come out to _himself_. He’d be _disowned_. 

It was a thought that truly upset him. It wasn’t that he was uncomfortable with _himself_ , being gay- but he just… wasn’t ready. It was enough for him that Tokiya and Ranmaru cared for him, and neither of them were upset that Masato wasn’t ready to come out to his family. 

Masato had already explained that his father had a very set plan for Masato, and that Masato was already far off base with it. He had explained that he was barely hanging onto his relationship with his father and Masato’s partners understood that telling his father the truth could be what ends their relationship entirely. 

The best part of that week were the nights, when Masato got some time to himself. When he’d put in his earbuds and send Ranmaru and Tokiya goodnight messages. Normally, Masato didn’t like watching his phone for replies, but for some reason now it was a pleasant thing. Waiting for them to wish him a good night as well. 

A sense of normality in an otherwise stressful situation. 

The driver didn’t speak to him, when bringing him back to his home, so Masato spent the ride back listening to the music player. At this point it was beginning to die because Masato didn’t have a charger that fit it, but he was relieved that it had lasted as long as it had. He was sure that Ranmaru had a charger. 

There _weren’t_ lyrics- but at the very end of the song, soft enough that Masato could only just hear it in the recording were the words - _Love you, Masa._

Ranmaru could be very soft, when it came to Masato and Tokiya. Masato had taken some time to get used to it, because Ranmaru was so outwardly _rock_. He could be blunt, and rude, and dismissive, and Masato had to get used to such a one-eighty. He was glad, though. Thankful, even, at how truly caring Ranmaru could be. 

The music player- the song, the _reason_ Ranmaru made the song for him was a prime example. 

Masato walks inside, but he’s greeted very soon after the door closes, both Tokiya and Ranmaru waiting on the couch in the living room. Masato had given them a heads up as he was getting into the car, to let them know he was on the way back. 

“It’s nice to have you back.” Tokiya offers a small smile, pulling Masato just a bit closer by the arm to press a kiss to his cheek. Ranmaru takes Masato’s bag from him, but he only sets it down by the door, to get on Masato’s other side. His kiss lands against Masato’s jaw. 

“How’re you doin’?”

“It’s over.” Masato breathes out, and for the first time in days his shoulders truly relax. “I’m much happier to be here.”

Ranmaru hums in agreement, his next kiss landing just beneath Masato’s ear. Tokiya has begun to work on helping Masato out of his jacket. He only sets it over the couch to return back to helping Masato unbutton his vest. His clothing was similar to what he usually wore, but just a bit more formal. 

“Thank you. By the way.” Masato’s voice drops, but Ranmaru has his full attention. Ranmaru’s contacts were out- both his natural grey. “Your song made this entire week far more bearable.”

“Was gonna give it ‘t you on your birthday, but I saw how worked up y’were over this. Figured it wouldn’t hurt ‘t give it ya early.” Ranmaru shrugs. “But I’m glad it worked.”

Masato manages a small smile. “It certainly did.”

Tokiya glances at them curiously, but he doesn’t choose to ask anything about it, leaving it between the two of them. 

“It’s gettin’ pretty late. Why don’t we all go lay down? We can go out tomorrow ‘n grab breakfast?”

Masato’s smile comes just a bit easier. “That sounds lovely.”

Masato listens to the track less religiously than he had during the week he was at his father’s estate, but he certainly still listens to it often. By the time a month has passed, he has the melody memorized. Sometimes he finds himself idly playing parts of the melody while sitting at the piano- though one time Haruka had heard it and her compliment on it had gotten Masato flustered and sent him into a stuttering explanation that the piece wasn’t his. 

Haruka had gotten a knowing smile on, but she hadn’t pushed him any further on it. 

Masato was a first hand witness to the fight that had happened almost two months after that. Masato didn’t tend to fight with either of his partners. He was a calming force- the only person that he ever truly tended to fight with was Ren. When it came to Ranmaru, Ranmaru’s usual anger and annoyance didn’t tend to get under Ranmaru’s skin, and he and Tokiya were just a bit too similar to really get into it. 

Ranmaru and Tokiya however did not have that same dynamic. When they got along (which _was_ most of the time) they got along _great_. But when they didn’t get along, their fights were often heated. Ranmaru had a short temper and Tokiya was very… passionate. In the best and the worst of times. 

Tokiya also had a tendency to ignore himself, and this is what this fight was on. It was what most of their fights were on, because Tokiya was far quicker to panic than anger, so long as it didn’t involve _himself_. 

“I’m _fine_.” 

Masato looks up from his sewing when he hears that from Tokiya, walking through the front door and already making a beeline for their bedroom. Ranmaru follows just behind him, closing the door with his right hand and catching Tokiya’s arm with his left. 

“‘N when’s the last time you ate? Yesterday? Hard ‘t tell when you don’t even fuckin’ come home, Tokiya.”

“I spent the night at the studio.” Tokiya’s mouth sets in a thin line, his eyes lowering in a glare. Ranmaru doesn’t release his arm. Even Masato knows that Tokiya is just going to lock himself in the room if Ranmaru gives him the chance to do so. “And when I ate isn’t any of your concern. I’m standing, aren’t I?”

“Sometimes I wonder how.” Ranmaru scowls. “We’ve talked about this.”

“And I believe that I came to the conclusion that my work and our relationship don’t need to involve each other.”

“With conditions. Conditions you broke when you didn’t bother ‘t show up last night. You could’a at least told us y’weren’t comin’. You had Masa waitin’ up ‘til midnight, worried sick.”

Tokiya glances over at Masato. Masato doesn’t correct Ranmaru, because Ranmaru isn’t wrong, but Masato isn’t joining this fight. 

Tokiya looks back at Ranmaru. “I didn’t join this relationship to be lectured on my work. If you both don’t like how I work, then maybe I shouldn’t _be_ in this relationship.”

Ranmaru’s eyes flare. His grip doesn’t tighten any further on Tokiya’s arm, but Masato can tell that he’s focusing to make sure it doesn’t. “Masato ‘n I are _both_ livin’ examples of the fact that you can be a hard worker _and_ not kill yourself doin’ it. If you’re threatenin’ to break up with us because we give a shit about you- maybe you’re right.”

Tokiya finally rips his arm away from Ranmaru and storms past him, leaving the apartment and slamming the door behind him. There’s a long moment of nothing. Ranmaru is still, taking in the conversation, his jaw strained. Masato is frozen, trying to make sense of what had just happened, too. 

Masato is the first to move, but he’s stiff as he does. He glances to the door, but he goes to Ranmaru first. 

“Maybe that was too far.” Ranmaru admits in a low voice. “But I just don’t _get it_. Why he’s gotta fuckin’ fight us so hard on this.”

“He’s stubborn.” Masato’s voice is quiet. Grim. “It’s difficult. It really is. He’s been… self-destructive for the entirety of the time that I’ve known him. ...But he knows, Ran. Tokiya knows that we’re worried. That you are. I’ll go after him and calm him down. He’s coming back. You both may fight, but you’ve had worse fights than this and you’re both still here. Now is no different.”

Ranmaru just nods. Masato gives his arm a squeeze before he slides his shoes on and slips out of the door. 

It doesn’t take long to find Tokiya- sitting in the passenger seat of the car that they owned- they only had the one, but Tokiya and Ranmaru were the only ones that drove. Masato had never taken the time to learn. 

At first, Masato isn’t sure why Tokiya is sitting in the passenger seat- and then he notices that Tokiya’s arms are resting on the dashboard and his head is resting on them. His face is hidden. Masato realizes, before he opens the door, that Tokiya is crying. 

Masato chooses to climb into the driver’s side of the car, careful not to press any buttons or pedals, though he reaches out to touch Tokiya’s upper arm. Tokiya’s head snaps up, but his defensive look turns to a guilty one when he sees Masato. For a long moment he doesn’t say anything. Masato has to start it.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know if you should be asking _me_ that.” Tokiya sniffs.

“Ran was a bit harsh. I won’t say he was in the wrong, and I won’t say that you were in the right. You both could have handled that better. But I understand. Both of you. Ranmaru is just worried, and I can’t imagine that you feel well at all right now. I understand if you need some time- but I do hope you come inside soon.”

“I don’t know.” Tokiya leans back, away from the dashboard and into the seat. “I don’t just want a repeat of what happened. ...I don’t want to face him right now.”

“Why is that?”

“I can’t possibly imagine that he’s not angry with me. I don’t want a repeat of this.”

“I’ll step in this time. If it happens to escalate. And the longer you wait the worse it will be. I doubt that the two of you are going to have a proper conversation until you’ve eaten and rested.”

“I need some time. Before I go in.” 

“Alright. But I’d like to stay.” 

Tokiya doesn’t necessarily look like he agrees with Masato’s decision, but Masato chooses to take Tokiya’s silence as an agreement. Tokiya stays quiet for quite a long moment, but when his phone goes off, he chooses to check it, his eyebrows furrowing at the message. He thumbs the volume button, and then plays something on his phone. 

Masato recognizes the sound of a bass- clearly prerecorded. One glance at Tokiya’s screen shows that it’s an MP3 file. It seems as if Tokiya’s on his message app, and Masato assumes it’s between him and Ranmaru. Masato understands immediately. It’s a completely different song than the one that Ranmaru had made for Masato, but it was very clear that it had completely taken Tokiya off guard. 

Tokiya is very quiet about it, but Masato can see a few tears trailing down Tokiya’s cheeks. When the song ends, Tokiya’s throat moves with his swallow, but he turns, to open the door to the car. Masato gets out, too, though he trails just behind Tokiya. 

It’s clear to Masato that Ranmaru was trying to end their fight, and Masato is very glad to see it. He understood where this fight had come from, but he didn’t like seeing them fight, either.

Ranmaru was only on the couch, but he does stand up when he hears the door open. Masato closes it after he enters, but he notices that Tokiya is making a beeline to Ranmaru. He hasn’t completely stopped crying, when he wraps his arms around Ranmaru’s torso, setting his head on Ranmaru’s shoulder. Ranmaru wraps Tokiya back up in a tight hug. 

“Thank you.” Tokiya’s voice cracks. 

Ranmaru doesn’t say anything, but Masato can see Ranmaru’s arms flex as he holds Tokiya closer. 

“I’m done fighting with you. I’m sorry.” Tokiya mumbles.

“‘M sorry, too. But I’d really like ‘t see you eat somethin’.” Ranmaru keeps his voice a mumble. It keeps his voice softer, but it doesn’t sound angry as it is. 

Not wanting to get Tokiya fired up again, Masato imagines. Not that it matters, Masato thinks. He doubts that Tokiya is going to get angry again right now. 

“...Okay.”

Masato lets out his own sigh of relief at Tokiya’s agreeance. Masato hadn’t even realized he was holding his breath. 

Ranmaru glances up, but Masato is already on his way to the kitchen, to prepare something for Tokiya to eat. Noticing it, Ranmaru drops his head, to press a kiss to the top of Tokiya’s head. “Good boy.”


End file.
